Bagasse handling



July 17, 1928. 1,677,725

w. MONTGOMERY BAGASSE. HANDLING Filed Nov. 23. 1926 M M v A Arromvm Patented July 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE.

WALLACE MONTGOMERY, OF CENTRAL MIRANDA, CUBA, ASSIGNOR TO EDGE MOOR IRON COMPANY, 0]? EDGE MOOR, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BAGASSE HANDLING.

Application filed November 23, 1926. Serial No 150,323.

My invention relates to bagasse handling, and the object of my invention is not only to provide improved means for transferring the bagasse to some desired point for deposit, but also to separate therefrom and to recover associated bagacillo.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown in more or less "diagrammatic side elevation, an illustrative layout in which my invention may be practiced.

Bagasse as it comes from the cane mills of a modern cane sugar plant, is commonly fed directly to the'furnaces as fuel, or. to storage bins from which is is later carried to the furnaces. Mechanical conveyors are used for this purpose and necessitate considerable outlay for equipment and up-keep, as well as consuming considerable power for operation.

Bagasse contains fines, known as bagacillo, which are practically pure cellulose. This bagacillo constitutes a valuable constituent of the discharge from the cane mills, and when fed to the furnaces with the bagasse as fuel, involves a serious by-product waste.

My invention not only simplifies the feed of the bagasse to the furnaces or storage bins, but incidentally separates and recovers the valuable by-product bagacillo. My invention contemplates the propulsion of the bagasse and bagacillo by an air current from the mills (or from the storage bins), the separation of the bagacillo from the bagasse by the air current, and the recovery of the separated bagacillo. The particular apparatus for efiecting this is subject to many variations, and the layout shown in the accompanying drawing is merely illustrative of one system in which my invention can be practiced.

Thus I have indicated a cane mill, (for example, the last of a train of mills through which the cane is passed) comprising rolls 15, 16 and 17 arranged above the trough 18 to which the expressed juice is discharged. The bagasse is discharged from this mill thoroughl broken up into fragments, while the bagaci 10 is in the form of small particles or dust. Both are removed from the surface of the last roll 17, by the scraper 19 which delivers to the throat 20 leading to the blower 21. A hood 22, associated with the scraper, forms therewith a suction chamber 23 open to the blower.

From the blower, the bagasse and bagacillo are propelled by the blast, through the riser main 24, and its long-radius elbow 25 into the distributor main 26. Fhe latter passes above the battery of boilers, two, 27 and 28,

being indicated, to a storage bin diagrameffect this separation, the hoppers may be 1 of any appropriate .shape. They are indicated as generally conical, the lower, constricted end carrying the feed gates, while the blast outlets open to the closed upper ends. In operation, the bagasse accumulatlng in the lower end of the hoppers seals the latter against the escape of the blast therethrough.

The blast, and its entrained bagacillo fines, pass from the hopper-separators through the outlets to the line 38 which leads to the dust catchers 39, 40. The latter are indicated as of the bag type, with normally closed bottom outlets to packaging apparatus (not shown).

In the layout indicated, onl a portion of the bagasse and bagacillo is (fiverted to the furnace hoppers. The balance is propelled .by the blast to the closed storage b1n'29.

Here the bagasse settles out of the blast, while the bagacillo fines are'led by the blast from the storage bin through the return blast pipe 41 to the dust catchers 39, 40.

My system thus contemplates the separation of the bagacillo content of the discharge from the cane mills by settling the heavier bagasse out of the ropelling blast and leading the latter, wit its entrained bagacillo, to a recovery unit.

The material discharged from the cane, mills contains a certain amount of moisture. This may be removed, at least in part, by a drying operation. I have indicated this diagrammatically by a drier 42 interposed between the blower and the distributor line. It may be arranged, however, at any convenient point-for example, between the mills 26 and bagacillo line 38.

and the blower. While it is not always 44, 45, 46 may be arranged at appropriate points in the bagacillo lines. A damper 47 may be located adjacent the blower to prevent the blast entering the blower when delivery is made to the furnace hopper from the storage bin by another blower (not shown) associated with the bin. Orthe the same blower 21 may be used by providing a branch line (not shown)- therefrom to a hopper associated with the bin, utilizing in either case the .same distributor line Or a suction fan may be associated with the bagacillo recovery unit 8940, with suction openings to the cane mill and to the storage bin, one of the openings being closed when the other is open. For collecting the material from the storage bin, a flexible suction pipe may be used. These arrangements are subject to Various changes to meet the engineering requirements of any particular installation.

I also provide normally closed ac ess openings at 48, by Which entry can be readily made to the various lines.

I While I have shown the furnace hoppers 32-33 as serving the dual function of hoppcrs and separators, it is obvious that the separators may be independent of the hoppers and may be arranged at any point in the blast line.

With the understanding that the layout shown illustrates but a single available arrangement for practicing what I claim as my invention, I claim 1. The method of handling'bagasse and associated baga'cillo which comprises propelling the same by a current of air, causing the bagasse to settle outof the current at a desired point and thereafter separating the bagacillo from the propelled air current.

2. The method of handling'a mixture of bagasse and bagacillo which comprises propelling the mixture by a current of air to a settling chamber, in which the bagasse settles out: of the current, and leading from said chamber the current with its entrained bagacillo to abagacillo-recovery unit.

3. The method of handling a mixture of bagasse and bagacillo which comprises pro pelling the mixture by a current of air to a closed, furnace feed hopper, in which the bagasse settles out of the air current, and leading the current with its entrained bagaeillo to a dust extractor for the separate recovery of the bagacillo from the propellant current.

4E. The method of handling bagassee and associated bagacillo which comprises pro pelling the same by a current of air, causing the bagasse to settle out of the current at a desired point and thereafter separating the bagacillo from the propellant air current,

and drying the mixture prior to the separation of the bagasse from the bagacillo.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

l/VALLACE MONTGOMERY. 

